Established candidates lead in initial election results

The primary set up a showdown for a 5th Legislative District seat in the state House of Representatives, a competitive congressional race and a chance to elect a judge to the King County District Court bench.

Unless Willard pulls ahead as ballots trickle in during the days ahead, the race will be a rematch of the 2008 contest between Anderson and Spring.

The district encompasses most of Issaquah, including downtown and the Issaquah Highlands. The boundaries also include North Bend and Snoqualmie, plus parts of Maple Valley, Sammamish and unincorporated King County.

District voters sent Anderson to Olympia in 2000 and re-elected the Fall City resident in subsequent elections.

Clibborn represents the 41st Legislative District — Talus and other Cougar Mountain communities, plus Mercer Island, Newcastle and parts of Bellevue, Renton and unincorporated King County.

The incumbent led Strader by about 55 percent to about 40 percent to set up the general election contest. Webster, like Strader, a political newcomer, trailed at 5 percent.

Congressman Dave Reichert pulled ahead of a crowded field, including the Democrat, former Microsoft and Drugstore.com executive Suzan DelBene. Reichert, a former King County sheriff, led DelBene by about 47 percent to about 28 percent. Longshot candidates rounded out the field.

Observers expect a close election, as DelBene seeks to become the first Democrat to represent the 8th Congressional District. Though Reichert has come close to defeat in the past, political analysts said he has a stronger hand in November.

The congressional district sprawls across eastern King and Pierce counties from the Snohomish County line up north to the Lewis County line in the south.

Dino Rossi — the former Issaquah representative in the state Senate and the Republican nominee for governor in 2004 and 2008 — trailed U.S. Sen. Patty Murray on election night. Rossi is due to face the Democrat in November in another contest drawing national attention.

Murray amassed 30 percentage points over Rossi in King County — 58 percent to 28 percent. Statewide, Murray led Rossi by about 49 percent to 33 percent in a crowded primary.

Tucker pulled in 45 percent and Mitchell garnered about 35 percent. The candidates face off in the November election. Shah trailed at about 20 percent.

The county created the position last year to address a growing caseload.

The bustling court handles traffic infractions, misdemeanor criminal offenses and some civil cases. The district includes Issaquah, Sammamish, Bellevue, Redmond, Woodinville and parts of unincorporated King County.

King County Elections released the initial results just after 8 p.m. Tuesday, the last day to postmark or drop off a primary ballot. Elections Director Sherril Huff had predicted 45 percent turnout in the summer primary.

The results in the initial tally represent 243,775 ballots.

Expect the next round of results at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. The elections office plans daily updates until all ballots have been counted.

The results remain unofficial until the county Canvassing Board meets Sept. 1 to certify the election. Final results should be posted to the elections website by noon Sept. 1.

The elections office started to receive marked ballots days after the office mailed blank forms to voters in late July. The agency starts processing ballots upon receipt, but law prohibits elections staffers from tabulating results before 8 p.m. on Election Day. In the run-up to the deadline, staffers opened ballots and reviewed voter signatures in a secure location at the elections office in Tukwila.

If a signature problem arises, staffers contact voters to resolve the issue in order for the ballot to be counted.

Comments

One Response to “Established candidates lead in initial election results”

Knucklesandwich on
August 18th, 2010 12:57 pm

The results for the 5th ld in last nights voting were particularly discouraging. Unemployed teacher (David Spring) has advanced to the general election ahead of a far more qualified candidate. I have seen Mr. Spring up close on several occasions and feel very strongly that his election would be the equivalent of South Carolina electing Alvin Greene.

Where voters would have had a choice between two responsible business leaders, they now have only a choice between a business leader (Glenn Anderson) and someone running with no money, no visible means of support, and no answers to any important questions. Mr. Spring’s only answer to ANY question is to raise punitive taxes against “millionaires” and others he seems to harbor a seething hatred for. Reading his “fair funding” diatribe on his website is a revealing snapshot into the mind of someone unhinged with hatred for others who’ve enjoyed more success than he has.

This is a man who’ll gleefully dance at the idea of bringing a state income tax, and a new state “IRS” type bureaucracy, to Washington State. Glenn Anderson is the ONLY responsible vote left in this race.

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